Professor
College of Medicine and Public Health
Prof WEI ZHANG, a Biochemical Engineer since 1989, has strong research and teaching expertise in bioprocess engineering, marine bioproducts engineering, and industrial and pharmaceutical biotechnology. He obtained his PhD from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and did his Postdocs in University of Tokyo, Adelaide University and Cambridge University. He joined Flinders University in 1998. Since 2000, he has secured many national and international grants of over A$180 million including Marine Bioproduct Cooperative Research Centre grant with a total value of $270 million as the Bid lead. He founded the Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development and became its inaugural Director in 2009. He has published 300+ refereed Journal papers, eight Journal special issues, two edited books. He is an editorial member of four Journals- Marine Biotechnology, Journal of Applied Phycology, Marine Life Science and Technology, Biofuels; and Specialty Chief Editor for Frontiers in Marine Science (Marine Biotechnology). He is Editor of a Springer-Nature Book Series “Advances in Marine Bioprocesses and Bioproducts”. He has organised and chaired 30+ international conferences and sessions. He is a winner of "South Australia Young Tall Poppy Science Award" in 2008, and "Convention Adelaide Award" in 2016. He is the Inaugural President of Australia-New Zealand Marine Biotechnology Society, and Chair of Marine Biotechnology Subcommittee, Australia National Marine Science Committee. He serves as Board member for Asia-Pacific Marine Biotechnology Society, and BioMarine. He has driven many national and international partnerships across governments, universities, industries, professional societies and communities. He is an internationally recognised leader in industry and marine biotechnology with highly accomplished entrepreneurial skills to drive translational research toward industry outcomes and impacts. He is currently the Research Director, Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre, an Australian national research for industry flagship to drive innovation for growth of Australian third-generation high-value marine bioproducts industry.
2021 Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre (Bid Lead, $270m grant for 10 years)
2016 Convention Adelaide Award
2008 South Australia Young Tall Poppy Science Awards
2000/01 Visiting Professorship at Kyushu University, Japan
2000 Visiting Professorship at Cornell University, USA
2000 Adjunct Professorship at Dalian Insititute of Chemical Physics, CAS, China
2000 K.C. Wong Research Award, Hong-Kong, China
1999 Flinders Technologies Fellowship to visit University of Cambridge, UK
1997/99 ARC Fellowship to work in University of Adelaide and Flinders Uni, Australia
1996/97 Monbusho High-Tech Fellowship to work in University of Tokyo, Japan
1995 First-Class Paper Award of Satellite Symposium, Chinese Association of Sceince and Technology, China
1994 Presidential Scholarship of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
1993 Presidential Scholarship of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Professor in Industry and Marine Biotechnology
Founding Director, Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development (CMBD)
College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University
Reseacrh Director, Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre, Australia
Inaugural President, Australia New Zealand Marine Biotechnology Society
Chair, Marine Biotechnology Subcommittee, Australia National Marine Science Committee
Specialty Chief Editor, Frontiers in Marine Science (Marine Biotechnology)
Series Editor: Advances in Marine Bioprocesses and Bioproducts (Springer-Nature)
2017 Vice Chancellor’s Prize for Doctoral Thesis Excellence - MAY 2018
2017 Vice Chancellor’s Prize for Doctoral Thesis Excellence - MAY 2018
Prof Zhang has served in numerous roles for community services that have significant positive impacts at state, national and international level, with recent examples as below.
You can find out the news story on our research at: Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development - News & Resources